Welcome to my blog! Housewives are probably the most overworked and underpaid people in the world. Everything is your responsibility. The present and the future of your family depend on you. Yet no one bothers to listen to you. This abuse stops here! This blog is a sounding board for all you housewives out there. Be heard!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

This is a tag sent to me by Rojoy. Hope you find it fun just as I did. Seems to have hit the nail right on the head with me on this one. Feel free to grab it and pass it on just for the kick of it.

LOOK UP YOUR BIRTHDAY AND SEE WHAT YOU ARE. FORWARD ON TO PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK THAT WOULD GET A KICK OUT OF THIS... INCLUDING THE PERSON WHO SENT IT TO YOU. PUT YOUR BIRTHDAY ANIMAL IN THE SUBJECT LINE AND PASS IT ON.

If you are an Ass : A very loyal and sweet person. Your loyalty can never be doubted. You are quite honest and sincere when it comes to your attitude towards working. You are a very simple person, indeed. Absolutely hassle free, humble, and down-to-earth!! That explains the reason why your friends cling on to you! You have a good taste for clothes. If your wardrobe is not updated with what is trendy, you sure are depressed. Popular and easy-going. You have a little gr! oup of dignified friends, all of them being quality-personified.

If you are a Slug : Always up to some sort of a mischief! The mischievous gleam in your eyes is what mak e s you so cute and attractive to everyone. You are an extremely fun-to-be-with kind of person. No wonder people seek your company and look forward to include you for all get-together's. However, you are sensitive which is a drawback. People need to select their words while talking to you. If someone tries to fiddle around and play with words while dealing with you, it is enough to invite your wrath. God bless the person then!

If you are a Cockroach : Quite contradictory to your name, you are a peace loving person. You best try to avoid a situation wherein you are required to fight. An outdoor person, you dislike sitting at one place for a long duration. You are a born leader, and have it in you how to tactfull! y deriv e work from people. You love being loved and when you receive your share of limelight from s omeone, you are all theirs!!!! Well, well... Hence some people could even take an advantage, flatter you to the maximum and get their work done. So be careful.....

If you are a Parasite : An extremely lovable, adorable person, sometimes shy, with a passion for quick wit. At times, you prefer quietness. You love exploring various things and going into depth of each thing. Under normal circumstances you're cool but when given a reason to, you are like a volcano waiting to erupt. You're a fashion bird. People look forward to you as an icon associated with fashion. Basically, you mingle along freely but don't like talking much to strangers. People feel very easy in your company. You observe care in choosing your friends.

If you are a Skunk : You are near to perfect and nice at heart! . The e xamples of your kindness are always circulated in groups of people. You, too, love peace. You wouldn't like to retaliate even to a person who is in the wrong. You are loved due to this. You do not wish to talk behind one's back. People love the way you always treat them. You can give, give, and give love, and the best part is that you do not expect it back in return. You are generous enough. Seeing things in a practical light is what remains the best trait of you guys.

If you are a Bullfrog : You symbolize a very happy-go-lucky approach in life. Whatever the surroundings may be, grim or cheerful, you remain unaffected. In fact, you spread cheer wherever you go. You are the leader of your group of fri ends! and go od at consoling pe ople in their times of need. You dislike hypocrisy and tend to shirk away from hypocrites. They can never be in your good books, no matter what. You are very methodical and organized in your work. No amount of mess, hence, can ever encompass you. Beware, it is easy for you to fall in love....

If you are a Snake : You are mysterious. You are someone who can handle pressure with ease, and can handle any atmosphere without going berserk. You can be mean at times, and love to gossip with your selected group. Very prim and proper. You like all situations and things to be in the w! ay you desire, which, sometimes is not possible. As a result, you may lose out in some relationships. But otherwise, you love to help people out from difficult and tight spots when they really need you.

If you are an Ape : Very impatient and hyper!!! You want things to be done as quick as possible. At heart, you are quite simple and love if you are the center of attraction. That way, you people are unique. You would like to keep yourself safe from all the angles. Shall your name be dragged or featured in any sort of a controversy, you then go all panicky. Therefore, you take your precautions from the very beginning. When you foresee anything wrong, your sixth sense is what saves you from falling in traps. Quite a money minded bunch you people are!!

I am passing this tag to retchel, ivan girl, and posh totty. They are my new friends here in the blogging community whose blogs I go to almost daily now.

No, fellow-Filipino bloggers, I am not going to write about Qtv's newest show hosted by Jaya. I am going to act like any proud mama and gloat about my eldest daughter. This coming March, she is crossing another milestone in her life. She is graduating from elementary. And from all indications, she is graduating among the top 10% of her batch. I have been helping her out with her academic requirements these past few weeks which is why I have not been active at blogging recently. She deserves nothing less from me as she has continually given me numerous reasons to be proud of her as a daughter and as a student. She has consistently gotten very good grades since pre-school and has been an outstanding student leader since first grade. And now my baby is graduating. And she makes me proud. She will not be pleased about this but I am posting here her official graduation pictures. She is one of the greatest achievements of my life. Here's to you, Denise, my darling daughter! Congratulations!

In the spirit of true PEOPLE POWER, we are inviting you to an online show of disgust and search for the truth. We will be conducting a blogswarm slated on Feb. 25-26. You may copy the banner and post it in your blog on the dates mentioned. If you have your own posters, please use them too.

Captions and entire posts are welcome. Let us all join hands and free our country from the grip of "EVILS" in government. The time for genuine change is NOW!

I was tagged byRusin Roundup.

Here are the rules:

* First copy and paste it.* Do not remove any content.* Just add One word related to your blogs.* If you don't like the concept Pls! say no?* Our main goal is we are going to circulate our number of friends.* The more people join the "pass it to the front" the more links we generate.* Lastly write only one word "short" for your blogs...* Keep it simple and short, I know some of you have more than one blogs.* The color is only black, gray, or white plssss avoid using any color okies.

In celebration of the first People Power Revolution, I am appealing to Gloria Arroyo, her family, her cabinet, the Senate and Congress, all the mayors and their respective councils, and the barangay captains to please remember the spirit that made that historic event happen. Stop all your evil doings. Stop abusing the power which your constituents gave you to enrich yourselves. Matakot kayo sa Diyos! There is always a payback time. What is painful is that more often than not, God hits you where it hurts the most. Most of the time, it is your children or grandchildren who will pay the dues you owe to society. If you love your family, do not make them pay for all your evil works. Gloria, your children are hopeless. So God will not punish you through them. But your small grandchildren are very small. Do you want them to pay for the evil you, your husband and your children have done? Maawa ka sa kanila. Believe me, God will find retribution for all your sins and they will probably be the ones who will be hit the most. If you are planning to tape another "I am sorry" act, please don't. Gastado na yan! Admit your mistakes and like Erap, do your time. Make your co-thieves do the same. Congressmen, stop your boot-licking. Tapos na ang panahon ni Gloria. Gusto na namin siyang patayin! Baka sa sobrang gigil ng tao, bumuo na kami ng liquidation squad na susugpo sa mga tiwaling opisyales ng pamahalaan. Di na lang NPA at MILF ang magiging problema niyo! May vigilante squad pa na pagod na sa mga magnanakaw na kagaya niyo! Baka imbes na non-violent reform ang itawag namin, a call to civil revolt na. Kayo rin! Huwag niyong hintaying mapuno ang salop. Nakakapagod na kayo at ang inyong kawalanghiyaan. Even peaace-loving people like me are enraged. Matakot kayo sa mga taong tahimik. Matinik sila kung magalit. At di ako nag-iisa. Marami na kami. At patuloy na dumadami hangga't patuloy kayo sa inyong kawalanghiyaan. Sa aking mga kapwa Pilipino, na alam kong gising na gising na, iparinig niyo ang inyong hinaing. Organize yourself into groups and fight corruption. This is the only way for the Philippines to reach the greatness it so deserves. We deserve good governance because we are a basically good people. Do not allow yourselves to be pulled down by these evil men in government. We deserve the best because we are one of the best. Like Ninoy said, "The Filipino is worth dying for." Do not let his death come to naught because those who came after him are the devil's "pakawala." Unite! Be heard!

I would like to pass it on to my friends eds, lizza, amel, and sasha. I would have wanted to share it with all my friends but I don't have that much time right now. So to all my friends, this is for you as well. And thanks again, Max. You're the best!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Copy this entire list of questions and change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then tag and pass it along to other blogging friends. Let’s see how well we can get to know one another!

1. What is your occupation?-entrepreneur

2. What color are your socks right now?-Sorry, no socks. Humidity in the Philippines does not make it comfortable for us to wear socks.

3. What are you listening to right now?- I don't like listening to music when writing.

4. What was the last thing that you ate?- Nilaga. (If you're not Filipino, you won't know what this is, he he he. It's a clear soup with beef, cabbage, bananas, potatoes, and corn. Goes well with steamed rice.)

5. Can you drive a stick shift?- I don't drive.

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?- Blue. It's calming.

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?-My daughter's godmother who is also a very close friend.

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you?- I have never met her in person but from what I've read of her daily articles in her numerous blogs, she could just turn out to be one of my most admired people on this planet. I get the impression that she is gifted with absolute courage, admirable humility, and kindness that makes for a great human being and a most treasured friend.

9. Favorite drink?- Pepsi max. (It used to be coke but these days, it just doesn't taste right anymore.)

10. What is your favorite sport to watch?- Ice skating. (Is that a sport? It's the only one I can bear watching. I am not into sports at all.)

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?- Oh yes! I had white hair even at the tender age of 10. Now I need to have it dyed unless I want to look 60 even if I am not quite that age yet.

12. Dog named-Olive, our family's beloved little shih tzu.

13. Favorite food?- Any kind of pasta. I must have been Italian in my former life.

14. Last movie you watched?- I Am Legend. My husband's choice really. I watch whatever the family wants to see.

15. Favorite Day of the year?- Christmas. That's the Sagittarian in me, I suppose-refusing to grow up.

16. What do you do to vent anger?-I write. It helps me to put my emotions into perspective. Then I find that there's really nothing to be all that upset about.

17. What was your favorite toy as a child?- My talking doll. I called her Maribel.

18. What is your favorite, fall or spring?- Where I am, we only have two seasons, the wet and the dry season. The wet season means rain which I hate. So I guess it's the dry season for me which is summer.

19. Hugs or kisses?- Hugs, most definitely. It gives me a feeling of warmth and tender care.

20. What kind of pie?- Apple. Love the play of apple flavor with the hint of cinnamon.

21. Do you want your friends to email you back?-Oh yes. I love getting e-mail from friends. All the more so now that I have joined the blogging community.

22. Who is most likely to respond?- Most everyone responds. Family, specially.

23. Who is least likely to respond?- My kids. We see each other day in and day out so whatever they need to say, they just tell me personally.

24. Living arrangements?- I live with my parents, my maternal aunt and uncle, my three children, my youngest brother, the maids and the driver. Oh, and of course, our dog and our almost a hundred finches.

25. When was the last time you cried?-Since Jun Lozada appeared at the Senate, almost daily. It's a mixture of sorrow for the wretched state of the Philippine government, and extreme anger at the evil enveloping Philippine society. Whenever I watch the news these days, I cry.

26. What is on the floor of your closet?- My bags and my jewelry case.

27. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to?- Amel and Max. They are the first bloggers to visit my site (along with fellow-Filipina Sasha and Melai, who sent me this tag). That was just over a month ago - imagine that!

28. The friend you have known the shortest amount of time that you are sending this to?-Lyn. She intrigues me.

29. Favorite smell?- I'm not into perfumes. I love the smell of the sea though.

30. What inspires you?- Generosity, selflessness. This day and age, it's rare.

31. What are you afraid of?- Nothing. My faith has erased all my fears. Whatever comes my way, I know with God's help, I will prevail.

32. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?-Cheeseburgers, definitely.

33. Favorite car?- I don't care one way or the other. I am not into cars.

34. Favorite cat breed?- I am a bird lover. I don't think cats are good for my aviary.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

They say money is the root of all evil. But I have to disagree. If you think about it, there is nothing wrong with having it or wanting to have it. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that the pursuit of money at all cost is the root of all evil. Its pursuit is motivated by greed. Greed is the antithesis of sharing. Sharing is the essence of love. Therefore, money is not the root of all evil, it is greed.

Why am I writing about greed? It is, after all, a negative subject. I guess it is brought about by the continuing saga of the anomalous national broadband deal that has rocked the foundations of the present Philippine presidency. I am appalled by the magnitude of greed our politicians seem to be entrenched in. And to think we are the only predominantly Christian nation in Asia.

The whistle-blower and reluctant hero Jun Lozada says his friend and former boss Rodolfo Neri called Madame President evil. I myself refer to her as the devil in Malacañang. Perhaps some would say I am being too harsh on her. But I beg to disagree. As President, she should be the model of all that is good and pure and true. And yet she has shown us that she lies, she cheats, and now, she steals, too. By all accounts, Neri is correct. She is indeed evil.

Why is there so much greed in the world today? Why is there so much evil? How can we combat this? I fear for my children. Now, more than ever, I am determined to instill in them the morals and the values that will make them better human beings. Man by nature is not greedy. Everyone is basically good. Why then do we have people like Gloria and the rest of her kind? Perhaps it is because their parents failed to instill in them the proper values that make us different from animals. This is actually an anguished call to all parents out there! Please, teach your children well. Arm them with the values they need so that in their adulthood they do not turn into the monsters we see around us now. Teach them to love, to share, to be considerate, to be respectful, to be selfless, to be useful to society. More importantly, teach them to choose what is right all the time. If all parents in the world determine to do this, then there is hope for mankind.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Since Mr. Jun Lozada came out with his expose on the NBN-ZTE broadband deal, I have been trying to stop myself from making a comment about it on my blog. Because really, it concerns only the Philippines. And not all bloggers are Filipinos. Somehow, I felt it inappropriate a venue to air my views on corruption in the Philippine government.

Upon deeper reflection, however, I have had to change my view. After all, Filipino politicians do not have a monopoly on corruption in government. It would be naive to think that. It happens everywhere and we see news of these things happening even and perhaps, more importantly, in first world countries like the U.S.A.

A lot of Filipinos are saying that all these exposes will come to naught anyway, so why bother talking about it. Even if Arroyo steps down, whoever comes after her will do just as she and her cohorts have done, enrich themselves while in power. Corruption will remain long after the Arroyos leave Malacañang.

The truth is, I am convinced that corruption will be present whoever is in power. But that is not the point, is it? We allow these people to steal from our country when we keep quiet about it. Nothing will change if we do not do something about it. The silent majority have to be heard. We have to show our disgust. And the time is NOW!

Gloria cheated her way to the presidency. That much is clear. She continues to cheat us via her husband's and her children's money-making activities at the expense of all of us. And our response to all these wrongdoing is a shrug of our shoulders because voicing out our disgust is not going to change anything anyway!? Really now?!?! Enough! One thing is clear to me. I am as much to blame for the rape of the Philippine economy by my choice not to say anything. Apathy, not Gloria, is the root of our problems. Change is in our hands, not the government's. We can make it happen if we determine to make it happen. Mr. Lozada placed the ball in our hands. What happens next is our choice.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

I have to excuse myself to all the non-Christian bloggers out there. This post might not sit well with you and your beliefs so please skip this one.

I'm Catholic so prayer is part of my daily habits. My favorite prayer is the Serenity Prayer. It goes like this: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference." In the most trying times, this prayer helps to keep me sane.

Very recently, a dear friend sent me an e-mail which I found very helpful when I am feeling low or feeling worthless. We all go through these moods so I would like to share this with all of you who might be going through a rough spot. Here goes . . . .

The next time you feel GOD can't use you, just remember . . . .Noah was a drunkard.Abraham was too old.Isaac was a daydreamer.Jacob was a liar.Leah was ugly.Joseph was abused.Moses had a stuttering problem.Gideon was afraid.Samson had long hair and was a womanizer.Rahab was a prostitute.Jeremiah and Timothy were very young.David was an adulterer and a murderer.Elijah was suicidal.Isaiah preached naked.Jonah ran from God.Naomi was a widow.Job went bankrupt.John the Baptist ate bugs.Peter denied Christ three times.The disciples fell asleep while praying.Martha was a worrier.The Samaritan woman was divorced . . . more than once.Zaccheus was very small.Paul was too religious.Timothy had an ulcer. . . AND Lazarus was dead!So no excuses now. God can use you to your full potential.Besides, you aren't the message; you are just the messenger!

God is just waiting for you to see your full potential! When you realize that, then He can finally use you for His great purpose.

This is a really sweet tag I got from Max. It took a while for me to put it up because I didn't quite know how to do this. She very kindly taught me how but I fell ill and was out of circulation for a bit. I finally had time to search for the nicest smile I could find. I hope it brings a smile to everyone who sees it.

I chanced upon this logo on My View of It. Since peace is one of my advocacies, I thought it only appropriate to have this logo on my blog for everyone to see. If you want to hop on the peace train, please click on the link I mentioned.

Love hurts. Everyone who's fallen in love will tell you that. In a few days, couples all over the world will be celebrating their love for each other. Those who are in new relationships will be in that stage where romance is the prevailing mood. But those of us who have been in long term relationships will be celebrating it in a different way. And then again, those who have just been through, or are still going through a crisis in their relationship will have a much harder time celebrating it.

In my youth, I used to say that if the man in my life betrays me, I will leave-fast. Now that I'm in my forties and have been married for close to two decades, I'm no longer that sure. I have seen many marriages fall apart after a spouse strays. But I have seen more marriages go on despite the indiscretions one of them may have committed. When your husband strays, should you forgive him? If you stay, how do you cope with the betrayal? I have been asked these question so many times that I decided to write about it.

Whether one should stay in a relationship after the partner strays is entirely his/her decision. The answer depends on a lot of factors. For one thing, it really will depend on why the other strayed. Some men just lack the maturity to stay in a monogamous relationship. If that's the case, it is best to leave. Some stray because of a momentary weakness. Most of the women whom I know stayed believed their husbands were caught at a time when they were too weak to resist the temptation. And I have seen a lot of these marriages become stronger after weathering the crisis.

The first thing a woman has to determine when she finds out her man is being unfaithful to her is if her man still loves her and is determined to keep their relationship intact. Then she too has to examine herself and determine if she loves him enough to try to make things work again. You see, it takes two to make this work again. Once she knows this for sure, then she can take the steps necessary to repair their relationship.

The first thing she has to do is to ACCEPT that her man is not perfect-that he made a mistake. Also, she has to accept that she is partly to blame for what happened. They have to talk things through. And they have to do this without recriminations. They must both agree to accept their imperfections and try to work on them so that they don't commit the same mistakes again.

The second thing she has to do is to FORGIVE. This is easier said than done. To do this, her husband must be patient and he must be willing to talk to her and be sensitive to her feelings more than ever before. She has to learn to stop dwelling on the past and determine to move on and move past the pain. She has to let go of the anger and the hurt. She must purge herself of the negative emotions that ultimately comes with betrayal. All throughout this stage, her partner must be completely supportive and understanding. For some couples I know, this stage took years to accomplish because the anger and the pain takes longer to die down and mellow. But time is the great healer. And it does happen, in time.

The third step is to FORGET. This is probably even harder to do. As human beings, we have long memories and the more the memory hurts, the longer it takes for us to forget it. Then there is the perfectly natural reaction that once bitten, twice shy. We are reluctant to forget lest we get hurt again. By forgetting, I don't mean develop selective amnesia. I mean, it is necessary that the wife stop dwelling on the negative and concentrate on moving past the pain and getting on with their lives. Concentrate on getting through each day without thinking about her husband's indiscretion. In time, the memory of the incident will be but a blur in her memory. In time . . . .

The last step is to RESTORE THE TRUST. This is probably the hardest to do. But if the relationship is going to work at all, this is necessary. How can you possibly trust a person again if he has betrayed you before? Impossible? Not really. If you determine to trust your spouse again, then it will happen. It's not going to happen overnight but it will happen eventually. Of course, it will depend on how he goes about restoring that trust. The effort has to come from him and you will respond accordingly. The secret is to look for the good in your spouse; concentrate on that. Ignore the negative. By your faith, your relationship will be saved.

All these things are possible only with one thing: love. Love is not an emotion. Love is a decision. We do not fall in love. We grow in love.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

I grabbed this Choo-choo Train tag from Liza. I won't be tagging anyone but please feel free to grab this award if you're interested.

Cut and paste the following starting here. I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!) It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially! The benefits of Viral:- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!- Increase your Google PageRank fast- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site- Build your community. Make new friends!

Monday, February 4, 2008

It's February once again. . . love is in the air. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it is inevitable that love will be written about and discussed everywhere where there are readers. Bloggers are not an exception. So here's a different viewpoint on love-for a change.

According to Helen Fisher, a leading expert on love, there are three stages of love. The first stage is LUST. She describes it as the initial, mostly sexual desire between two individuals which promotes mating. At this stage, the body shows an increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and estrogen. These effects, she found, rarely last more than a few weeks or months. But this is the stage of love that is prevalent among most people who are "involved" with someone.

The second stage is ATTRACTION. This is basically the romantic desire for a particular person. It develops out of lust to a commitment to a specific person. At this stage, individuals tested show that their brains consistently release a certain set of chemicals such as pheronomes, dopamine, and serotonin which have effects that are similar to amphetamines. These chemicals stimulate the brain's pleasure center and produces side-effects such as increased heart rate, loss of appetite and sleep, and an intense feeling of excitement. Research indicates that this stage generally lasts from one and one-half years to three years.

The third stage is ATTACHMENT. This stage is based on the type of bonding which promotes longer lasting relationships. It is based on commitment such as marriage and children, or on deeper friendships due to shared interests. The body, at this stage, releases higher levels of chemicals such as oxytocin and vasopressin.

The brain scans of people who are infatuated by love display a resemblance to those with mental illnesses. This is indicative, therefore, that new love is possibly more physical than emotional. Over time, this type of reaction mellows and the different areas of the brain are activated. These activities are based mainly on long-term commitments.

To those of you who have dates on Valentine's Day and are planning on taking their relationships a step further, keep this in mind. If you're in that stage where your heart races at the site of your "new love" and you can't seem to find your appetite for food or for sleep, then be aware that you are only on the second stage of love. This stage, as studies have shown, lasts all of three years. If you are looking for a life-long partner, you might want to wait until the "excitement" mellows before taking the plunge.

I got this tag from my new friend Pinaymama's Diary. Thank you for sharing this with me. I love Winnie the Pooh, too!

FriendsAnger is only one letter short of dangerIf someone betrays you once, it is his fault;If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.Great minds discuss ideas;Average minds discuss events;Small minds discuss people. He, who loses money, loses much;He, who loses a friend, loses much more;He, who loses faith, loses all.Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,But beautiful old people are works of art.Learn from the mistakes of othersYou can't live long enough to make them all yourself. Friends, you and me...You brought another friend...And then there were 3...We started our group...Our circle of friends...And like that circle...There is no beginning or end...Yesterday is history.Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift.

So now, let's see how many circle's of friends we can make by simply adding your link on this Friendship Meme!

Sunday, February 3, 2008

I was watching the Sine Totoo show last night and I could not help but write about it. A report came out recently that a government study states that an ordinary Filipino can survive on 36 pesos a day. Documentary writer Jay Taruc was probably just as amazed as I was about how they arrived at that amount that he decided to make a documentary about it. He challenged himself first. He tried to go about his daily business but limit his daily expense to 36 pesos on that day. Naturally, he failed dismally. So he decided to challenge others to spend only P36 on a single day while he and his crew followed the challengers around. A teacher, a jeepney driver, and a congressman agreed to the challenge. As expected, they all failed. He tried to get the President, Gloria Arroyo herself to take the challenge since the report came from her government but after so many times of trying, Madame President just dismissed his attempts to invite her. Well, helloo! Who in his right mind would say that an average Filipino can survive on P36 a day. Whatever government agency made that report should be abolished. It is most obviously manned by either the most stupid individuals in the Philippines or those who would say anything and sell out on their morals, principles and integrity to the devil at Malacañang for money. It is so irritating, nay, it is maddening to know that the Philippine government, top to bottom, is made up of the biggest liars the world has ever known. My grandmother used to say that anyone who lies is also, most probably a thief. How truly wise an observation that is! The Philippines is in such a mess because the government is composed of cheaters, liars, and thieves. And what is even more lamentable is that the people, because of the (bad) example set by its leaders, have followed suit. We have become a nation of liars , cheaters and thieves. Woe to the Philippines! Mothers, please, it is time for you to make your presence felt. The moral regeneration of our country is in your hands. Teach your children well. Teach them what is right. And when they go astray, lead them back to the right path. Even when they are already 60, they still need to be reminded that what is wrong is wrong. In that, there are no grey areas.

Olive, our shih tzu, and all our birds. They give me so much pleasure.

My latest passion-blogging!

The things IHATE are . . . . . .

Corrupt politicians, specially Gloria Arroyo and her ohh so greedy husband Mike, the pig and her eldest son Mikey, the crocodile.

Poverty. I wish I had the power to eradicate it.

Greed. It is the devil's weapon against all that is good.

Narrow-mindedness.

Abuse of women and children.

Racial prejudice.

Oppression, in any form.

All the hoopla about Britney Spears. She obviously needs professional help so please let her sort things out in private. Same with Paris Hilton, and all the rest of them Hollywood brats who obviously lack in parental guidance.

Apathy. It is our moral obligation to be involved.

Parents who tolerate their children's bad behavior. Parents who plant the seed of greed and love of money and possessions on their children. I see it everyday.

This tag is a good idea because it gives us insights on the individuals doing the tag. I would love to see what sasha, manilenya, and juliana are going to list down.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Through the years that I have been a parent, I have learned that parenting is a lifelong learning process. Experience has taught me valuable lessons on the foundations of a good parent-child relationship. That doesn't make me an expert, I know, but younger parents might benefit from them. So here goes:

RESPECT-This is the cornerstone of any relationship. Our children need to feel that we respect them as individuals and as human beings. We need to remember that our children are unique and are different from us. And we need to respect that. We cannot impose on them our beliefs, our style, our dreams. They have to be allowed to have their own, be their own person. Just as we expect our children to respect us, we need to respect them, too.

COMMUNICATION-We have to keep the lines of communication open between ourselves and our children. Each child is unique so we need to know our children well. Some children do not open up. We have to learn to listen to them even when they have not said a word. Most of the time, we can see, through their actions, if something is bothering them. Let them know you are there for them. When they are good and ready, they almost always come to you for help. Also, we need to be careful what we say to our children. We should not be over-critical when they fumble. We should know how to say things so that we do not offend them. When we criticize them often, we are in danger of damaging their self-esteem. Knowing their worth as human beings is an important foundation of their personality. It is the backbone of their existence. So we should not, in any way, be the one to damage that.

TIME-My world revolves around my children. In that, I am blessed. But I know not all moms are as fortunate as I am. There are millions of moms out there who are missing out on their children because they need to work. But this is not an excuse. We need to make time for our children. My mom used to take us with her to her office when we were children just so we can have some quality time together. She would schedule out-of-town trips with us so we can have time to bond. Even when she had live-in seminars she would insist on getting a room for us in the hotel where they were staying so that we could be together in the evenings. Otherwise, we would be at risk of alienating our children from us. We will not be able to get to know them if we don't spend time with them.

Parenting is a big responsibility. We should take it seriously. Every step of the way, we should think about our response to the smallest things. Although we parents are their first teachers, I have found that I have actually learned, and continue to learn from my children. Ultimately, my guide to effective parenting has been myself. Whenever I am in a situation which I am unsure about, I think back to the time when I was a child and how I felt back then. And I respond from there.

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